Cigar-machine



' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. BECKER. CIGAR MAOHINE.

No. 425,120. Patented Apr. 8,1890;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. J. BECKER.

- GIGAR MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

. W V I Wflfmaaaeo 7 A I a vvvemioz W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. BECKER, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ClGAR-IVIACHENE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,120, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed April 2. 1889. Serial No. 305,759. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. BECKER, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to improve that class of cigar-machines for formingcigars in which the filler is composed of scrap tobacco, which is fed from a hopper onto a forming or rolling and compressing belt, which belt applies the binder and de posits the bound filler in a suitable mold, the various operations being carried on automatically.

The invention consists in an improved arrangement of hopper with stirrers and ad justable pockets for varying the quantity of tobacco discharged, having independent hinged doors or bottoms for each pocket.

It consists, secondly, in a rolling mechanism for the filler, with mechanism for feeding the molds into position for receiving the filler from the wrapping mechanism, which 1noldfeeding mechanism can be regulated to feed molds of varying sizes or which are located farther apart; and, finally, it consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine from front to rear, some of the parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lower partof the machine with the frame broken away. Fig. 8 is a top plan View. Fig. t is a bottom plan of the mold-carriage. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of 'a portion of Fig. 4, showing the parts in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in the other position. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the hopper. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the clutch. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the belt and wrapping-rolls. Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The frame-work of the machine, preferably iron, consists, essentially, of two sides A, between which the various operative parts of the machine are mounted, suitable crossbraces-such as B--being interposed between the frames to maintain them in the proper relative positions. At the top of the frames A a shaft 0 is journaled, on one end of which is loosely mounted the drive-wheel C, having a clutch-section c, with means, to be presently described, for throwing the same into engagement with the corresponding clutchsection 0 keyed to the shaft, for imparting a rotary motion to the latter when it is desired to throw the machine into operation; and immediately in rear of this shaft is a shaft D, on which are mounted arms orlevers D D having bearing-surfaces thereon engaging the cams C on shaft 0, whereby they are depressed, and relatively abrupt shouders d for permitting their quick return to normal position after the cams have passed. Each of the cams is provided with rubber or elastic bumpers 0,

for arresting the movement of the arms without undue shock. Secured to the end of arm .D is a rod carrying whatl term a funnel E atthe lower end, and provided on one side with an entrance-opening or chute, and guided and held in proper position by guides e,

mounted on the side frames, and. on the end of arm D is secured a rod, on the lower end of which is mounted a plunger F, fitting or working through the funnel, as will be readily understood.

The table F, on which the wrapping-belt lies, is located at a convenient level immediately below the funnel E, its upper surface at the forward part being curved downward, as shown, and provided at the rear with the hollow or depression f, in which the tobacco is deposited for forming the filler. At the extreme forward edge the table is provided with arms f at each side, and with hooks or clamps for the end of the belt at apoint beneath the edge of the table.

The belt G passes between the arms f back over the table, and is secured at the rearend to a roller G, having the ratchet-wheel G and handle G3 at one end for adjusting the tension of the belt above the table. This roller G is journaled in pieces secured to the sides of the table, and having forwardly-extending arms 9 passing across the ends of the depression f, for keeping the front roller ele vated in passing the depression, as otherwise it might swing down into the depression and arrest the movement of the arms.

J ournaled in the side frames a considerable distance below the table and belt just described is a shaft ll, carrying arms H, extending up on each side of thetable, and car rying a roller 71 at the ends below the belt, and preferably journaled as follows: In the ends of each arm are pivoted small pieces it, having slots 7L2 at their outer ends, in which works a roller 71. located above the belt and held'down by springs 71 secured to the ends of the arms, and in the pivots or trunnions of these pieces h are formed the bearings for the roller 72, which latter thus holds the pieces in position without the necessity of employin g special fastenings or bolts, although it is obvious that such may be employed, if de sired.

Ways or tracks I are supported immediately below the table, over which slides the carriage I for carrying the molds 1 the under side of the table being provided with suitable teeth, with which the pawl 'i engages, said pawl being moved by the shaft H, to which it is connected by arms '2 and links 1 the necessary forward motion being given by pivoting the link '2'. to a stationary support, such as a bridge piece 1 connecting the ways, and guiding the pawl itself in guides secured to the bridge-piece at the forward end corresponding to 1. The ways, being connected by these bridge-pieces, are adjustable to and from the table to accommodate molds of various thicknesses, preferably by being pivoted at the rear ends and supported by setscrew 1 carried by an arm on the side frame at the forward end.

For imparting motion to shaft 11, a vertical shaft K is placed inside the frame on one side, carrying at the upper end agear-segment K, meshing at predetermined intervals with gearsegment K on the drive-shaft, whereby it is given a forward movement, and connected at the lower end by means of the crank 7t and adjustable rod it. to one of the arms H, a spring or springs k being provided to return the shaft to normal position.

The operation of the part of the machine thus far described is as follows: The funnel is depressed, forcing the belt down into the center depression in the table, friction-rollers 0 being preferably located on the lower edge of the funnel to accomplish this without undue friction on the belt, and the tobacco is placed within the funnel through the feedopening before mentioned, when the plunger descends and compresses the tobacco into approximately the proper shape, the funnel then rising, and the operation of the parts being so timed as that the plunger in'lmediately follows, and the arms ll moving forward,

or wheel 0 thereon. I per is formed by a disk P, having openings catching the tobacco in a loop in the belt below the roller and wraps the binder which is placed on the belt around the same and finally deposits the bound filler in the mold, which has been brought to the proper point by the feeding mechanism. The plunger and funnel are preferably elevated by springs L, secured to an arm on the cross-piece ll at the top of the machine.

By reference now to Figs. 8 and f) it will be seen that I employ a belt of peculiar construction, having ribs M thereon for giving the proper tapered shape to the ends of the filler, and as such a belt, when formed into'a loop, would, unless considerable pressure were placed on the rear roller to compress the elastie ribs, leave space at the front of the loop in which the filler is confined, I locate a roller 7L3, before mentioned, in front of the loop and make the contour of the roller to fit or approximately conform to the form of the belt, thus enabling the same to be brought down close, effectually closing the opening referred to and preventing all liability of the tobacco escaping, and at the same time smoothing down the binder and insuring its proper cntry into the loop.

The tobacco from which the fillers are formed is contained in a hopper N, located above the funnel and table and supported by brackets secured to the side frames A central shaft N passes up through the hopper, being supported in a step-bearing a at the bottomand guided and supported in a hearing carried by a cross-piece a atthe top,said bearing being so arranged as to prevent-longitudinal movement of the shaft. end of the shaft is provided with a ratchetwheel N secured rigidly thereto, the portion immediately above such ratchet-wheel being screw-threaded and havingan adj ustable nut The bottom of the hopor pockets therein formed by the depending annular flanges 19, said disk being rigidly mounted on the central shaft, preferably by means of a set-screw 1). Immediately below the disk P is a disk Q, loosely mounted on the central shaft, with a depending hub 1, which, taking its bearing on the adjustable nut or wheel 0, supports the disk in position. Thisdisk Q has apertures or pockets Q therein, which telescope with the pockets on disk P, whereby the size of the pockets formed by both disks may be varied so as to contain different quantities of filler, according to the desired size of the bunch to be formed, a gage R being secured to the central shaft or ratchet-wheel to determine when the proper ad j ustment is secured,and aset-scrcw 0 is provided for locking the nut O and lower disk in adjusted position. The tobacco is retained in the pockets by doors S, one for each pocket, pivoting on the flanges of the pockets on the lower disk, and having a rearward extension 8, bearing a friction-roller which rests on a bearing under the edge of adisk S, mounted The lower ITO on the downwardly-extending hub q of the disk Q, and having a portion cut away on one side, as at s, to permit the doors to swing down and discharge their contents into the chute S and from this chute into the funnel after the latter has been depressed and formed the recess in the belt. As the disk S is necessarily adjustable vertically and must be held from rotation, I preferably provide it with an arm 8 which comes in contact with the frame to prevent the said rotation, but permits of the necessary vertical adjustment. 7 The central shaft, carrying the pockets and mechanism just described, is rotated by means of the vertical shaft T on the left side frame, bearing the gear-segment T at the top, meshing at predetermined intervals with a gearsegment T on the drive-shaft, whereby it is rotated in one direction, the spring-T serving to return it to normal position after each movement, and having the crank-arm t at the bottom, connected by link to the pawl 29,

engaging the ratchet-wheel N whereby when the shaft is rotated forward the ratchet-wheel and shaft are moved the space of one tooth, which corresponds to the necessary movement of the pockets before mentioned.

The drive-wheel is thrown into connection with the drive-shaft by the bell-crank lever U, pivoting on an oifset of the frame and operated by the rod U, connected to the foot-lever or treadle U a spring being employed to throw the wheel out of engagement, as will be readily understood.

Instead of ordinary ratchet-teeth on the bottom of the mold-carriage heretofore employed, I provide a mechanism whereby the rate or extent of the feed at each movement may be adjusted to accommodate molds of different sizes, which is preferably as follows: On the bottom of the carriage are preferably two bars V, extending longitudinally of the carriage and adjustable toward the center line of the same, being for this purpose preferably pivoted at one end and regulated by a right and left hand screw V at the opposite end. Fingers o extend diagonally out to oneside of the same, preferably formed in arcs of circles with different centers, commencing with the first tooth, which may be struck with the pivotal point of the bars as a center, the second tooth being struck on a center a little to one side, the third on a center still farther to one side, and so on until the desired number of teeth are formed. The teeth on the two sections cross on the central line and afford a firm bearing against which the feeding-pawl rests to force the carriage forward, and by moving the sections apart or drawing them together the rate of feed may be regulated as desired to suit the sizes of various molds. It is obvious that other and well-known means for adjusting the rate of feed may be employed, and I do not wish to be limited to the specific devices herein set forth.

Figs. 4 and 5 also show the mold-clamping devices, consisting of the two adjustable side clamp the mold at the rear to prevent sidewise movement, two converging arms X are provided, one extending forward on each side of the stop w, both being preferably connected to a common base, guided by projections X,

and clamped in adjusted position by thumb' screw X With this arrangement of clamping devices the molds may be quickly and readily put in place on the carriage and securely clamped by the spring and easily removed, and should it be desirable to employ different-sized molds the clamps may be adjusted to suit the same without difficulty.

The scrap tobacco from which the fillers are formed, it is found, does not feed readily down into the pockets at the bottom of the hopper, and to, facilitate such feeding I have devised a special stirring mechanism as follows: Below the cross-piece n is a spider n at the top of the hopper, which is provided, preferably, with three arms, although more or less may be employed, and a depending projection 2, surrounding the central shaft, and at the lower end of this projection are formed arms corresponding to and somewhat similar to those at the top, only that they are brought down diagonally to clear the central cone 3, mounted on the disk at the bottom of the hopper. Journaled in corresponding arms at top and bottom are shafts 4, having stirrers 5 at the bottom in proximity to the pockets in the disk, and gear-wheels 6 above the arms at the top, which gear with a central gear-wheel 7, keyed to the central shaft above the spider n and serving to drive the stirrers. This arrangement of stirrers will be found to be very eifective, not liable to get out of order or be easily broken.

The shaft passes through the' cross-piece, and has a nut 9 applied to the upper end,

which bears on the cross-piece and in a large measure supports the weight of the central shaft and attached parts, and further serves as a ready means to adjust the disk with relation to the cut-off 10, located in the bottom of the-hopper over the point where the pockto permit of the quick return of thefunnel and plunger and the arrest of the motion without undue shock, substantially as described.

2. In a cigar-machine, the combination, with the hopper and the central shaft mounted in IIO bearings arranged to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft, of the disk forming the bottom of the hopper with the bottomless pockets therein, a second disk mounted upon the shaft below and having pockets telescoping with those of the first-named disk, and means for vertically adjusting the lower disk upon the shaft and with relation to the firstmeutioned disk, whereby the size of the pockets may be varied, substantially as described.

3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the rolling mechanism, of the hopper, the central screw-threaded shaft, the pocketed disk mounted on said shaft, the vertically-movable disk on the shaft, having the pockets telescoping with those in the other disk, and the nut engaging the screw-threads on the shaft to adjust the movable disk, substantially as described.

4. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the rolling mechanism, of the hopper having the central shaft, the rotary bottom pocketed disk mounted thereon, the independent pivoted doors for each pocket, having the rearward extensions, and the disk mounted on the shaft, having the annular bearing engaging the extensions on the doors to keep the latter closed, and the cut-away portion to permit the doors to open, substantially as described.

5. In acigar-m'achine, the combinatiomwith the rolling mechanism, of the hopper having the central shaft, the rotary bottom pocketed disk mounted thereon, the disk below said pocketed disk having the pocketstelescoping with the pockets on the first-mentioned disk, the independent doors for each pocket, and the bearing for keeping said doors closed, having the cut-away portion for permitting them to open, substantially as described.

G. In a cigar-launching machine, the combination, with the rolling mechanism, the 110ppcr, the central shaft mounted in bearings arranged to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft, and the pocketed disk mounted rigidly on said shaft, of a second disk mounted on the shaft and having pockets telescoping with those of the first-named disk, means for vertically adjusting the lower disk upon the shaft to vary the size of the pockets, and a gage for determining the proper adjustment of the disk, substantially as described.

7 In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the rolling mechanism, of the hopper, the central shaft having the pocketed disk rigidly connected thereto, and the pocketed disk loosely mounted thereon, having the depending hub, the adjusting-nut engaging said hub to adjust the disk, and the independent doors for each pocket, with the disk mounted on said depending-hub for retaining said doors closed, and having the cut-away or cam portion, substantially as described.

8. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the table having the depression or cavity therein and the belt overlying said table, having the ribs thereon, of the roller beneath the belt for forming the loop, and

the roller above the belt for closing the opening in the loop, having its surface made to conform to the ribbed face of the belt, substantially as described.

9. In a cigar-launching machine, the combination, with a table having the convex upper surface and the belt overlying said table, of the pivoted arms, the roller beneath the belt,

carried thereby, and the smoothing-roller above the belt, mounted in bearings pivoted to said arms and free to swing down on the belt, substantially as described.

10. In a cigar-bunching machine, the com bination, with the table having the convex upper surface, the depression or cavity therein, and the belt overlying said table, of the pivoted arms, the roller beneath the belt, carried thereby, the roller above the belt, mounted in bearings pivoted to said arms, and the spring for holding the said roller down on the belt, substantially as described.

11. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the table having the depression or cavity therein and the belt overlying said table, of the roller beneath the belt, the independently-movable roller above the belt, and the arms or supports at the ends of the depression or cavity for supporting said movable roller, substantially as described.

12. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the table having the convex upper surface with the depression or cavity therein and the belt overlyingsaid table, of the pivoted arms, the roller carried thereby beneath the belt, the roller above the belt, mounted in bearings pivotally connected thereto, and the arms or supports for said roller at the end of the depression or cavity, substantially as described.

13. In a cigar-bunehing machine, the combination, with the table having the depression or cavity therein and the belt overlying said table, of the roller beneath the belt, the roller above the belt, mounted in a pivoted bearing, and the arms on each side of the table, at the front edge, to support the rollers when beyond the table, substantially as described.

14. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the table having the depression depressed, substantially as described.

15. In a cigar-bunehing machine, the combination, with the table and rolling-belt, of

the mold-carriage having the adjustableteeth thereon, and the feeding-pawl engaging said teeth, whereby the extent of feed at each movement may be regulated.

16. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the table and rolling-belt, of

the mold-carriage having the adjustable bars on the under side with the overlapping teeth, and the feeding-pawl engaging said teeth, substantially as described.

17. In a cigar-launching machine, the combination, with the table and rolling-belt, of the mold-carriage having the bars on the under surface pivoted at one end and united by a right and left hand screw at the opposite end, and overlapping teeth located on said bars, With which the feeding-pawl engages, substantially as described.

18. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination, with the table having the depression or cavity therein and the belt overlying said table, of the funnel for forcing the belt into the cavity, having the rollers on the lower edge, substantially as described.

19. In a cigar-machine, the combination, with the mold-carriage, .of clamps for the mold, consisting of the spring at the forward end and the adjustable diverging arms at the rear end, substantially as described.

the central shaft having the gear-Wheel at the top, the cross-piece and spider and the vertical shafts mounted therein, having the stirrers at the bottom and the gear-wheels at the top meshing With the gear-Wheel on the central shaft, substantially as described.

- JOHN J. BECKER.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN L. J INKINS, B. G. MORGAN. 

